Custodian’s cognizance catches asbestos-containing debris

DANVERS, MA — A curious custodian at Thorpe Elementary helped protect his local environment by notifying authorities about illegally disposed asbestos-containing construction debris in a school dumpster, according to the Danvers Herald.

The unnamed custodian did not recognize the material as anything removed from the school and immediately called the Danvers Department of Public Works who, in turn, contacted the health department and the police, the story stated.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) tested the debris and confirmed it as “hot,” meaning it contained asbestos, the story noted.

According to the article, the DEP is assisting in the investigation and says that, if they find the guilty party, he or she will face prosecution for the improper disposal of asbestos-containing materials.

Danvers Public Health Director Peter Mirandi said, “Asbestos is not something you can see with the naked eye. But, if you see fuzzy stuff sticking out and it looks like it is construction debris, then you should call and then we can have it tested in a lab.”

The dumpster has since been cleaned and replaced; a chain has been fixed to the dumpster so that it can be locked to prevent a similar incident in the future, the story added.